The Hockey Show - Episode Thirteen

The Hockey Show was live on the air tonight at 6:00PM on 101.5 UMFM as we presented the Holiday Hockey Gift-Giving Guide! We wanted to offer some suggestions for those of you looking for good hockey gifts that are outside the box. Basically, the rules were no clothing of any kind, no common equipment, and try to avoid NHL and/or NHLPA licensed merchandise for obvious reasons. I think we came up with a pretty solid list of stuff, so peruse the list below if you're still looking for that special something for your hockey fan!

THE HOCKEY SHOW'S HOLIDAY HOCKEY GIFT-GIVING IDEAS

• Rob Ullman's artwork found on Atom Bomb Bikini and in his Etsy store. I also gave his books a plug, so check out his collection of bound works here.
• Mark Penxa's artwork also got a plug. I'm a big fan of Mark's work, and you should contact him if you want to commission a work from him. He's a great guy, and he'll work with you to make your hockey fan happy with a unique piece of hockey art.
• We spoke about a unique piece of equipment that some NHL players are using in the Skate Fenders. I have a pair myself, and I wear them when I'm out playing shinny on the local rinks. They are fantastic as they really absorb the impact of pucks and sticks on a player's feet. Highly recommended!
• I highlighted a number of excellent hockey books that I've had the opportunity to review this year, and you can find them under the Teebz's Book Club drop-down menu to the right. If you have any questions about the books or my reviews, please email me and I'll gladly answer any questions!
•  Everyone loves a good movie, and there are some great movie options for your hockey-loving recipient that you may want to check out. We recommended Slap Shot starring Paul Newman, Goon starring Seann William Scott, and Pond Hockey starring a number of NHL stars. We also advised listeners to avoid The Love Guru in the cheap movie bin due to how bad it was. A few cheap laughs will not save this movie in terms of how horrible it was. Sorry, Mike Myers.
• There were some board games we recommended as great gifts, and games always bring a family closer together. We recommended NHL Monopoly as a twist on the original Monopoly game. Also recommended were two excellent games from Blue Orange Games in Spot It NHL and Fastrack. Both games will provide hours of fun for kids and parents, and are priced very reasonably so that they don't break anyone's budget!
• If you have a gamer at home, NHL '13 by EA Sports is still the standard for hockey video games. NHL '13 is available for XBox, Playstation 3, and PC. This game is as close as one can get to NHL right now, and the graphics and gameplay are outstanding!
• If you're concerned about your hockey player's safety on the ice when it comes to concussions, there's a tool out there that can help you protect your player's brain. Shockbox is a fantastic new sensor that monitors the number and the severity of impacts on a player's brain, and will alert the person monitoring the player when the number or severity is beyond safe operation. While it seems a little pricey at $150, is there a price tag on anyone's safety and health? Especially when composite sticks can cost that much?
• Hockey Stick Putters are a great way to combine hockey with an off-season activity in golf. The putters look like a real hockey stick!  There are also mini-hockey bags that hold three golf balls, and there are team logo-emblazoned golf balls as well. If you want your hockey fan to show his loyalty on the golf course, these options might be on par! And if you're a Leafs fan, you'll feel right at home on the tee box and green come April!
• If you want your hockey player to become a more complete player, learning to stick-handle with one's head up is the best way to ensure that one doesn't get caught in the trolley tacks. Quickstickz is a fantastic product that teaches players to stick handle with their heads up so that they remain alert in terms of what's happening around them. Again, a little pricey at $200, but a team could essentially use this for their training and practices!

So there are a pile of things to check out as we work towards the Christmas celebration. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to email as we'd like to help as much as we can. We also gave away a few prizes on the show tonight, so congratulations go out to Ashley, Janice, and Illana in winning a Jets ballcap, a Spot It NHL game, and an NHL Fastrack game, respectively! We'll be offering up more prizes as we near Christmas, so stay tuned and make sure you're listening!

I do owe one listener a shout-out as I had it written down, but we were short on time. Reece from Kansas City, I'll make sure I shout-out to you next week. I owe you one, buddy! Thanks for listening!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!